


Another Conclusion

by BurstThrough



Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Haven't read journal 3 so likely no spoilers of it, M/M, stancest may take a while or not happen till an epilogue
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-18
Updated: 2017-01-01
Packaged: 2018-08-31 14:14:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,687
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8581636
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BurstThrough/pseuds/BurstThrough
Summary: Stanford Pines starts with his plans for a weird treasure hunt for nerds in the next millennium to go through(or more likely shack just gets demolished and basement found and reverse engineered without journals help) saving his favorite journal for last.Stanley Pines comes running at his call with expectations raised.Result is different.I WELCOME ANY COMMENTS





	1. Prologue: Preparations

**Author's Note:**

> It is my first attempt if writing fanfiction at all.  
> As well as a compultion to see work of an AU I didn't find in any lists.

Right in front of him was his life's work, his finest achievement...  
And he needed to bury it for it to never be found!?! 

He hated this...But there is no choice!! Unless he could make the portal unidirectional..?  
"Uhhrrr!! NO!!"  
"Accept it Ford! You can't avoid this!! You can't recall the last time you slept so don't go trying to outsmart a Dimensional demon of Eldritch capabilites!! Also an unilateral portal would only be useful for an exodus! Not multi-dimensional interaction and commerce!"

Removing the hand covering his face due to his most recent frustrated thoughts. He looks at the inverted triangle with at hole on the middle and a circumference filled with symbols around the round hole with regret. He had worked SO HARD. He had spent countless nights wanting to see it work but now he felt he had to stay awake for it to stay deactivated. Maybe. Maybe that was just what he thought was the reason why the world hasn't ended yet... Maybe HE was just rallying his freaks of dimensions unmentionable just to make his party a more nauseating and insulting torture to mankind. Maybe Mentem actually worked and he's busy decrypting his head at the moment. But that also means that he can not rest as he'd make such job easier.

Taking a deep breath to stop all thoughts of bargaining over the situation he makes a final check of everything from the portal doorway, to the keys, all the pipes and wires and and the fuel tanks not wanting a rift to be made upon the possibility of accidental discovery by a layman.

Now he just needed to wait. Then he'd deal with the shifter that got loose in the bunker take Mentem and STAY THERE!  
He was still here simply because as much as he doesn't find much fault in how well he hid the journals 2(hmm maybe not on this one) and 3 it would still be a dumb idea to keep them all in Gravity Falls where they could all be found in a matter of decades.

He's waiting for the only person he can slightly trust that HE may have not touched. "At least I hope so. He owes me at least this..."

Now he must find a way to stay awake and wait and hope HE does not stop this. With a crossbow!  
Maybe DD and More D...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope to have some constructive comment after this.  
> I'm sad though that chap1 may have to wait a bit cause there you'll see what AU this is.  
> Hope Ford is within character to most.  
> Decided to keep HIM as unmentionable due to regular plot avoiding HIM as well in aToTS.
> 
> Also kudos for people that laughed at the Fiddleford joke(I have a weird an over referential sense of humour).  
>   
> 4-18-15-16-16-5-4 1 8-9-14-20 8-5-18-5


	2. Reunion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Core of this AU happens here though there is a very clear storyline it is all scrambled in my head.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is and I'm sorry for the delay cause both my muse and me are lazy...  
> Here I'd really appreciate comments. This IS my first time writing.  
> I'd be glad if someone tell me if this is already a confirmed AU as well.  
> Feeling guilty I'm releasing the interlude but even though I have some ideas for the ending I have no idea what to put in the middle so if someone has ideas... I AM MORE THAN HAPPY TO GET COMMENTS FROM YOU! Or whatever.
> 
> WARNING: This is ANGST but I also tried to make it true to the scene and chars the * marks areas I feel are only gesture and not that necessary to the plot
> 
> Speech is between ""  
> Thought between ''

Stanley was quite apprehensive being here in this place. The sender’s address on a post card of a town in the middle of nowhere that showed barely any landscape on the photo, choosing instead to display the weird name of the place occupying the most of it. It could be a trap. But no cartel, gang or two bit criminal knew of his brother… 

 

And ‘cause he kept tabs on him over the years…

 

It wasn’t flawless detective work; Even though he was kicked out 10 years ago he called his mother on her psych line AND in hours the pawn shop is likely open; just to make sure.

His ma may not be the best person on the world but she obeys social standards and one of them is that mothers are supposed to be supportive; and in those rules, in some sort of hopelessly deserted child paragraph says:

If the kid makes contact give the information, contacts and news their kid may ask for at the very least and at most send negligible amounts of cash (in his case in mail).

Which wasn’t that often ‘cause he had to have an actual roof on his head or delivery box and WAIT for it to come (that being the problematic part due to being a wanted criminal).

It always made him smile how she hid the bills in a bunch of flyers of boring vacation spots inside the envelope though.

 

The place his mother told him REALLY WAS the one in the postcard. After arriving; he looked at a shack that apparently was either haunted by a ghost or by his brother in a grumpy mood. Either case made it look like a rural setting of a horror movie: Bloody easy to imagine zombies crawling out of the ground any moment now… or something equally horrible.

And cooperating with the theme was: the fence, the multiple warnings, the lack of repairs of the place and… is that ACTUALLY radioactive stuff on the porch!?

 

 

Meh,

 

seen worse… And weirder...

Maybe THAT’s why Stanford wanted to talk to him, and in his brother’s defense he lived with the guy for seventeen years and compared to him Stanford was tidier by a mile. He thinks that if he ever had to care for a house like that; it’d either fall apart or look absolutely horrifying(or in a worse way than now)! Though it would make for fun Halloweens...

BOTTOM LINE he just couldn’t imagine taking care of a house that didn’t feel like home or how he could attach himself to one for it to feel like it.

 

Not without Stanford. That made the word family meaningful… That hated his guts.

 

 

 

And even then he'd have to HIRE someone to do 90% of all the crap!

 

 

He never thought Ford would ever wanna see him again.

Thought the fact they were together since they were born and were only apart when Stan had a date or Ford had a nerd thing to go to that would most likely earn yet another medal or trophy, had a spanner thrown when the science project thing happened and now they are apart indefinitely, with his father throwing him out saying he needed to PAY A FARE to have a family again and not even THAT was a guarantee of his brother giving him the time of day.

But now he actually called him here with that postcard with neatly and nearly geometric handwriting on it that Stan still remembered and that made him stare at it in disbelief and then drop everything to come.

 

Now he was in front of a shack most people would think is abandoned due to the many reminders to get out, lots of wire as well as a boarded triangle window, though there was a bunch of sciency nerd antennas and the like. So maybe his brother WAS here and started on a downspiral to become an old man with issues over kids on his lawn. So after looking at the postcard like three more times he took a duffle bag with essentials and left the comfort of his car to deal with a blizzard he was not prepared to deal with having just come from New Mexico even with clothes for weather.

 

And so he had taken his duffle bag he used to keep most essentials in case he had to make a run for it, though now he took it so to not have to make the trip back anytime soon.

 

The weather was terrible with cold biting at every pore.

Good thing he parked so near the place that most people would think he was gonna rob the place.

 

Still he took the hood of his coat midway to take a look(and see if he was indeed any closer) at the place his brother made for himself in their time apart, probably messing with weirdness instead of patenting something to make himself rich as well as their parents as a side-effect/guiltrip for their expectations.

 

His steps seemed to get heavier until he finally made it to the door and…

Oh so they ARE radioactive judging by the symbol! Nevertheless the stress was still there and finally froze him as he made a light fist to knock and made it nearly touch the door.

 

“You haven’t seen your brother in over 10 years… It’s ok. …” He said making a dismissive gesture to convince himself instead of someone not present. And not being able to avoid making a light smile not being able to hold back some hope.

 

“…He’s family. He won’t bite.”

 

After barely knocking twice...

 

“WHO IS IT!!? Have you come to STEAL ME EYES!!?!”

 

 

The door immediately opens while his hand still formed a fist and his brother, who opened the door, first interjected then barked those questions, and as he barked the second and weirdest question he advanced on Stan pointing a nerdy board game weapon, that multiples times Ford had to remind him was called a crossbow, at his face, the charge making Stan take a step back from the scare.

 

 

After a moment to compose himself even with the loaded thing in his face his mouth responds and words drip with offended sarcasm.

 

“Well I can always count on you for a warm welcome…”

 

 

Instead of denying anything his brother, barely any less antsy, puts the crossbow down while asking more questions and in the middle even makes a whispering gesture of putting a hand on the side of his mouth(even forgetting it’s dumb doing that in the middle of talking instead of before starting and not lowering his voice volume at all as well):

 

“Stanley did anyone follow you? Anyone at all?”

 

“Ehr, hello to you too pal…” Answers Stan not done being upset. Barely after saying this his brother grabs him by his coat and pulls him making him shout in surprise and immediately his brother starts shining a small lantern in each of his eyes with his other hand causing him TOO MUCH unexpected discomfort.

 

“Ahr!! Hey! What IS this!?”Snaps Stan stopping his brother’s sudden attempt of being an eye doctor by grabbing Ford’s hands, dragging them downwards and then pushing them against his brother’s overcoat.

 

“Sorry! Just had to make sure you weren’t…” After taking a step back his brother first looked weirdly stiff and shocked while raising his hands at him forming a gesture of non-agression before stopping  his sentence and gesture, quickly looks to the left and right for a moment before closing his eyes and raising a single hand in a dismissive gesture.

 

“…Uhh, it’s nothing.”

 

“Come in, come in…”

 

He then quickly turns away gesturing for Stan to follow. Stan’s mind then finally realized something…

 

His brother is a wreck!!

 

Ford’s eyes have deep dark circles under them showing he hasn’t been sleeping, hair is disheveled, is growing facial hair all over(and he knows his brother was the type to shave and if that changed the beard should look even, which it doesn’t) and when he talked Stan unpleasantly realized he also hasn’t been brushing his teeth. And to top it all, while walking away he started pulling the sides of his overcoat with the opposite hands on what could look like an effort to close it showing distress even more as his smart brother surely knows the overcoat has buttons.

 

After catching all that Stan starts getting actually worried for him and immediately forgets the “welcoming” and unpleasant test to focus on how to help, as even though he hoped somehow Ford indeed needed his help, finding him in such state of distress made him drop his guard and so he ignores all the baggage between them deciding to get Sixer to say what was wrong so he could do his best to make better. After first giving a brief look at a place that have stuff that looks like antiquarium crap, taxidermy weirdness and props from Frankenstein movies he goes deeper in to follow his brother. ‘Let’s start with some humor.’<br />

“Hey, you gonna explain what is going on here?You look like mom after her 10th cup of coffee!”

 

Stan’s humor didn’t work…

 

He got an answer though, progress maybe. His brother not standing still for a second goes to a desk at the end of the room and gets a big book and some papers while he replies.

 

“Listen there isn’t much time.

I’ve made huge mistakes and I don’t know who I can trust anymore.”

 

As if to confirm his point and fully showcasing paranoia he turned the head of a human skeleton model to face away.

 

“Hey easy there, let’s talk this through okay…?”

 

His brother had started walking in his direction but without looking at his face as Stan talked to him also with no known effect as Ford even walked past him, but then he then gently touched his brother’s shoulder and that succeeded in making him stop to Stan’s relief.

 

“I have something to show you, something you won’t believe…”

 

His brother turned around and said it making a “you will be amazed” gesture moving hand horizontally over his face.

 

Due to not believing his brother could get involved in too big of a mess he couldn’t help but answer smugly though genuinely concerned.

 

“Look I’ve been around the world okay?

Whatever it is I’ll understand…”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“There is NOTHING about this I understand!”

Is what came out of Stan’s mouth standing with his brother in front of a triangle thing after being taken to Ford’s version of the bat-cave.

 

“It’s a trans-universal gateway. A punched hole through a weak spot in our dimension…”Ford starts talking as he does a introduction gesture with a single hand.

 

“…I created it to unlock the mysteries of the universe. But it could easily be harnessed for terrible destruction.”As he started the warning his expression and tone turned intense again pointing his index finger in a “hear my words” way. Then he took the absurdly thick book he got from upstairs from his inside his overcoat and gesture his hand in introduction towards it.

 

“That’s why I shut it down and hid my journals which explain how to operate it...” and started walking towards him with the book in his hands.

 

“…There is only one journal left...

....and you’re the only person I can trust to take it.” While talking he then stood in front of Stan gestures for him to take it from his hands which Stan does a bit confused and simply stares at the six fingered golden handprint with a number 1 in it then looks up at his brother again that left him no proper pause.

 

“I have something to ask of you. Remember our plans to sail around the world on a boat?”

 

his brother looks so earnest as he says this…

 

Stan’s thoughts go a hundred miles per hour.

 

‘Is this real?’

 

‘I’m really being forgiven?’

 

‘I really have my brother back?’

 

‘Can things really be… GOOD again?’

 

Stan from looking shocked formed a smile he would at most times be embarrassed to showcase. But he was just that absurdly happy over 10 years wanting for this to happen...

 

It lasted nearly 2 seconds.

 

“Take this book, get on a boat, and sail as far away as you can! To the edge of the earth!”  His brother says it like instructing the help to do a specific chore poking and gesturing ending with both arms in an exaggerated form that conveys “don’t matter how and I don’t care, just do it!” before walking towards the thing.

 

‘…What?’

 

 

Ford just walks away…

 

“Just bury it where no one can find it!”

Standing facing the gigantic thing, now finished speaking he doesn’t even look at him in the face anymore…

…he just crosses his hands behind his back either for dramatic effect or to quell his longing for the BOOK they just held.

 

 

Stan could’ve cried, nearly did.

 

Even though he felt crushed with sadness or blind with anger, the most of him felt… disillusioned.

 

Not at his life as it was always bleak and devoid of future prospects, but at Ford.

 

Ford, the scrawny kid that he always put first, that even though was smarter than anyone they both knew he yet still believed what a petty bully said about him.

So Stan told him of a future they could have but contrary to countless kids that make voiced similar dreams

and promises, Stan MEANT IT!!

He would make it so there his brother would never have to be alone. And Stan worked at it for years. And now he felt as if Ford disregarded all that, disregarded all his dedication, disregarded the fact he was the one person he would never do something bad on purpose…

 

It wasn’t that as they got older he didn’t notice that Ford wanted something else; if it wasn’t for that damned mistake he would’ve just let him have it.

 

Stan wasn’t dumb in requiring all that devotion from Ford ‘cause Stan thought there was no need in his case as he could always get by with street-smarts and Ford was the type of person the world rarely sees or does yet crushes so Stan was glad to have stopped that from happening. It was that he honestly believed that if his brother cared a tenth of what he cares for him and called after 10 years meant there would at least get an opportunity to talk... but in the end he had called while feeling no different since the last words from back then:”Why would I want to do anything with the person that sabotaged my ENTIRE future!?!”

 

He got caught with his guard down… He just never thought his brother would a chance to stab him and twist the knife, getting him all the way here to do GRUNT WORK!? Couldn’t it have been ANYONE!? And if it couldn’t why no one ELSE!? Why not their folks? So that means the years of covering for Ford or the years trying to BUY his family back only to go through hell without a f*&¨%g penny to show for it were really ALL FOR NOTHING!? That his brother would never want to see him he could understand but asking him to come just to be an errand boy!? Had Ford ever really cared!? That all the devotion was only appreciated THIS MUCH!?

 

That was it? All of Ford’s good will towards him and all the love he had for him as well as any fondness for what they’ve been through together amounts to… this.

 

“That’s it!?” Stan voices and now his INDIGNATION;

 

Like before with the crossbow,

Like 10 years ago AFTER GETTING KICKED OUT,

NOW was gonna help him say his piece!!

 

“You finally wanna see me after 10 years and it’s to tell me to get as far away from you as possible!?” Says Stan sounding with anger but also bits of denial and sadness… at least he wasn’t crying in front of the jerk…

 

 

“Stanley you don’t understand what I’m up against. What I’ve been through!”

 

*Said Ford making a gesture hands with the plams upwards wanting to grasp something invisible then he hits the sides of his head above his ears before making his hands return to the previous gesture while walking in his direction but AGAIN walking past him.

 

Again Ford makes him face his back while whining of his problems AND SAYING STAN’S GONE 10 YEARS OF HELL TO BE TOLD THAT BY A GUY THAT WEARS A TIE AT HOME AND CARRIES A PEN IN A FRICKIN’ BREAST POCKET!?!

 

 

“NO, no! You don’t understand what I’VE been through!” Stan is seriously losing it but doing shady business and all the crap he’s been through made it amazing how angry he can get without shouting and how articulate he can be when scared for his life.* As he speaks he points at his brother which then looks at him as if indignant for not being allowed to be the star of his own tragedy then he points at himself with his thumb before approaching the dramatic nerd as he continues talking.

 

“I’ve been in prison in three different countries…”*making a 3 with his fingers with the palm facing himself and continues his approach.

 

“…I’ve once had to chew my way OUT OF THE TRUNK OF A CAR!!” Finally in front of Fords he yells in his face and hopes he sees the damage in the teeth!

 

“You think you got troubles? I’ve got a MULLET Stanford!”*he pokes him in the chest then gestures his hand at himself

 

“Meanwhile, where have you been?

Living it up in your fancy house in the woods!...”*he gestures at the cave around that mostly indicates Ford DID have a good time…

 

“…Selfishly hoarding your college money, because you only care about yourself!”*He then pokes Stanford again but caused him who till then looked like he felt slightly bad frowned.

 

 

“Selfish!?? I’M selfish!?”*He says while expanding his arms with a shocked expression.

 

“How can you say that after costing me my DREAM SCHOOL!!?” He keeps with the dramatic gesturing such as pointing a finger and making a “V” with his arms with an expression of indignation.

 

“I’m giving you a chance to do the first worthwhile thing in your life and you won’t even listen!”*Stanford continues while making a “my head will blow-up from frustration!” expression aided by his hands parallel to the sides of his head then drops them to perform a “and here you are!” gesture with a single hand towards Stanley.

 

 

“Well, listen to THIS: You want me to get rid of this book? Fine! I’ll get rid of it right now!”  Stan not amused or surprised the conversation got to this point gestures at the book like a magician showing the object to be involved in the trick, pulls a lighter and tries to make good on his words while his annoyed sneer hides how truly angry he is.

 

Honestly it was the first time he actually wanted to HURT his brother…

 

 

“No! You don’t understand!” Stanford in a speed that surprised Stan grabbed the book with both hands with a face of desperation as if he considered it his newborn child trying to drag it away from the flame.

 

Stan held firmly with ONE hand managed to win over his brother’s attempted rescue and pulled the thing to the lighter and makes an annoyed expression at the desperate action. “You said you wanted me to have it, so I’ll do what I want with it!”

 

At the sight Stanford closed his hands in fists and makes also an expression between outrageousness and horror the combo the hand and face making him look like a dejected child for a moment before...

 

“My research!!” He screams and jumps-tackles at Stan like a crazy person.

 

The journal and lighter drop from Stan’s hands and Ford immediately stands-up and runs to get the book and Stan immediately TRIPS HIM!

 

While Ford kisses the ground Stan manages to get the book and runs towards the control room that had all the sciency things related to the giant triangle… but Ford wasn’t far behind!

 

“Stanley, give it back!!”

 

Stan never saw Ford like that before.

 

He didn’t even realize Stan couldn’t be much of a threat to the thing without the lighter and just jump-tackled again making Stan burst open (and painfully) the metal door that separates the portal and control rooms. The impact only stopped when Stan hit something weird on his back but Stan was ready for his brother’s attack the second time and didn’t drop the book.

 

'Seriously!? this nerd thinks he can win a brawl against someone that fought gangsters before!?'

 

“If you want it back YOU’RE GONNA HAVE TO TRY HARDER THAN THAT!!”

 

He pushes his brother to the ground and they continue to fight over the damned thing which is why he hasn’t punched Stanford in the frickin’ face yet. His mind is hazy but then something turned clear in his mind as they roll on the ground fighting, how Stanford truly seems not to care for anything other than weird science since quite a long time…

 

Called him disregarding 10 years of resentment to keep his nerd findings safe, 10 years that Stan actually MISSED him....

 

Didn’t care to hear how the project broke and just branded him as the enemy,

 

And when he tried to cheer up a sad, scrawny kid in the beach that even mentioned wanting for a haven of weirdos, Stan only managed to make him feel better after promising a future of adventures worthy of a movie, including all unexplainable weirdness that likely goes with such script.

 

 

In the end Stan was the one that had the wrong idea about them being a team and building all his hopes and efforts towards it and once he realized it had no future he had already wasted too much time… Now for the first time he wondered, if his life could really be better if he was the same as those movie characters that avoid their nerdy siblings… since honestly all he got from him was heartbreak and incapacity of having future dreams and hopes that didn’t involve the ungrateful know-it-all.

 

For the first time, he regretted ever having anything to do with him, someone that could toss him out so easy.

 

He knew their father would get him out of the house one day and that Ford would go away. But not that his brother hadn’t helped him then was because he was never a priority at all...

 

”YOU LEFT ME BEHIND YOU JERK!

IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE US FOREVER, YOU RUINED MY LIFE! “

 

As much of a lousy fighter his brother was(he could even afford to be distracted with his thoughts) but with all that brawling that he needed to focus on it resulted in the words already disarranged to sound plain dumb… and it didn’t help that the two were grabbing the book while fighting like two kids wanting the same toy.

 

“YOU RUINED YOUR OWN LIFE!!” A bit embarrassed over what he misspoke Stan was caught by surprise when Stanford rebuttal came with a kick that succeeded in making him release the book and Stanford hugged the book to his chest now without competition for it.

 

“AAAAAHHHHHHHH!!” Stan upon being kicked and pressed by Ford’s foot felt a painful and burning HEAT in the right side of his upper back like the flesh had been pressed in a heated waffle machine that had been oiled making him feel like that a chunk of flesh died but remained to throb for some time to give more frickin’ pain.

 

As he released the scream it made Ford notice Stan had been pressed against a dangerous area at the side of the control room’s CPU marked with a strange symbol where the machine heats up to the point of being a hazard which resulted in his brother having just been BRANDED with hot iron. Stan may not have seen all this but felt! At this Stanford scrambled to his feet showing an expression of genuine guilt, and after ten years, also SOME concern for Stan’s well being.

 

 

“STANLEY! Oh my gosh I’m so sorry. Are you alrigh…”

 

 

'TOO LITTLE TOO LATE!!'

 

Stan answers the dumb question with a PUNCH TO THE FACE!

 

The book yet again falls to the ground and Ford stumbles several steps back until falling on his butt colliding with a weird lever near the giant triangle.

 

Stanley stands up, picks the book and approaches his brother while carrying the damned thing while feeling the burn still sizzling like bacon and uses his left hand hold his shoulder in place to avoid worsening the pain also with his eyes fixed on his brother who also got back on his feet and was staring right back but contrary to him stood still.

 

Ford doesn’t look regretful anymore even though he got just punched instead of a brand that’ll sure leave a scar. Stan’s just wants to get this over with.

 

 

“Some brother you turned out to be…

 

You care more about your mysteries than your family?

 

Then you can have them!”

 

He pushes the book against Ford’s chest with both hands doing his best to ignore the pain of the burn the action had intensified but gathers strength enough to make him lose balance…

 

 

 

 

 

 

And fall on his butt again.

 

“Take care of your own mess!!

Not interested in helping someone that'd only call to collect a favor!!”

 

Ford stares at him while gripping the journal to his chest like a mother protecting her child likely due to thinking Stan would fight him over it again. He makes a deadpan frown as if he’s talking to an idiot.

 

“What did I do that was worse than what YOU did?” Stan sees that now that Ford has the thing he’s willing deal with the rest of the aggression in words not fists.

Though like HELL he’d win at any.

 

He let Ford have the first move “After what you did 10 years ago I thought you’d want to redeem yourself, but I guess I overestimated you.”

 

Guess he’d need to deal with THAT though.

 

“One thing is ask for help, ANOTHER is asking me to do a chore like I work for the UPS not your frickin’ BROTHER! Why would I want a damned boat without you!?”

 

Ford’s expression is unchanged.

 

“I guess I am supposed to be sorry…” Ford says making a smile of derision as he stands up.

 

“…What was I thinking letting YOU near a great project of mine? I’m lucky you didn’t do any worse!!”He finishes the sentence with a smile of some relief over the sarcastic remark.

 

“At least the worst thing I ever done to you was an accident. While you like this a little too much…”

 

“We both know it wasn’t.”Ford smile fades turning into an unimpressed and resentful expression.

 

“Whatever you say. But let me ask ya something:” Oddly both of them look unimpressed at each other.

 

“If all your nerd dreams had come true and you went to that fancy college…” Ford immediately looks vaguely surprised where this is going.

 

“…Wouldn’t you have still ended up here in whatever mess you’re in!?” he moves his right hand between them with the palm upwards as if offering something to say “there it is, so answer”.

 

“…!” His brother is surprised and there is no answer.

 

Stan knows him better than anyone so he knew he’d go looking for weird science stuff to feel good about himself either way. Ford may have overlooked or denied the irrelevance… till now.

 

“Y’know… brothers like we were…” Stan smiles slightly in relief ‘cause he thinks his point can get across from here while Ford is still frozen in shock.

 

“…that know each other since forever and that even share a birthday…” he can see Ford is bracing for the worst by unconsciously shield the book with his body while he could have just put it into the overcoat.

 

“…I started wondering just now…” Ford seems to relax but it must be cause he is about to complain over the point.

 

“…Shouldn’t you have believed me even if you were suspicious I did that on purpose?”  Stan’s changes the faint smile to a look of resignation.

 

“WHAT!?” Ford's look of self doubt is replaced with a look of pure shock.

 

“If it was me, while I would be suspicious I wouldn’t believe the brother I’d been together my whole life would screw me over and lie about it being an accident unless I was sure the guy could lie to me with no guilt.”

 

“But you do that!!”Now Ford was flustered by this that came from his left field.

 

“One thing is pecking your food or lie to make a surprise afterwards. But what I mean to say is you NEVER gave me the benefit of the doubt and chose to be upset over a school you only knew you could get in the day before!”

 

“You covered with the curtain!” Ford counters.

 

“I was a kid!! I got SCARED!!!

 

I just thought to HIDE what was wrong with it ‘cause it was coughing black smoke!”

 

 

He takes a deep breath so not to cry from recalling and continues.

 

“…thought you’d never forgive me…

 

and I was right…”

 

Ford is shocked most likely trying to find a rational way to refute him with no luck as Stan goes on...

 

 

“I knew you wanted out… find a more nerd way to get to look for weirdness… knew you’d forget about me if you went alone… I got it then that you didn't want me around... but I would have let you have that even if I didn't know it then… having ya hate me would be worse…”

 

 

Stan hopes Ford didn’t see his eyes watering, then turns his back and starts heading towards the control room to get to the exit of the place.

 

 

“How would I know this isn’t a scam of yours?” He only hears this voice which sounds like it is between wanting and not wanting to believe him. 

Stan’s shoulders drop causing an additional pang from the brand for this and replies.

 

“I know I’ll never be able to convince you by sticking around… 

 

So you know this ain’t a con…

 

You get your wish, this is the last you'll see of me…

 

Goodbye Sixer.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is it.  
> I know I made i hella dramatic but I needed to put this OUT.  
> A Stan that doesn't want to be hurt anymore so he gives Ford a reality check and leaves due to the portal not activating due to lack of fuel in the prologue  
>   
> also some hints in the interlude I'll release today.So that's it.  
> No A1Z26 though....
> 
> Post-edit:  
> Changes here due to horrible gramar and better phrasing.  
> Just so you peeps know though it isn't mentioned Stan is sure Ford wanted to be away from him due to to him saying:"Well, the I guess you better come visit me on the other side of the country!" after just listening the principal talking of both their prospects and Ford not even offering Stan to possibly come with saying something unrealistic of Stan scrapping barnacles could get gas Money to go there and back , that sounded like Ford drawing a line to me at least.


	3. Interlude: The way ahead

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My bad for some lateness as for some it not no longer the 31st.
> 
> Enjoy

His legs felt weak, his nose hurt as well as much of his body from the brawl with Stan. Though he managed to do a good job fighting back, he thought. Now still a bit shocked from the dialogue that increasingly did so by the things he heard from Stanley. At first he was acid until he, skeptically, accepted to hear Stanley’s first question:

‘That… that isn’t… wasn’t li… dammit!!’ And got his world view shaken quite a bit because he had indeed chosen Gravity Falls for this interest but didn’t think he’d ONLY ever choose this… but couldn’t prove him wrong…

The second question got him back to being skeptical.

‘How can that actually be true!? Because honestly...’

‘Stanley? SCARED!?’

‘Unless a situation involved standing a distance above the ground Stanley never even gets agitated and even if the situation got beyond what he could deal with he would ALWAYS look for a sort of insurance, leverage or escape route!’

 

But after seeing how defeated he looked, how resigned to failure, the smile that could cause someone to believe they were doing a great deal or a great choice only to curse their naivety later was nowhere to be seen… He never saw Stanley like this… He wasn’t trying to excuse himself; he was, to his surprise, saying things that made him doubt if he ever knew him at all, not the brawny kid or the conman, just a man with many regrets and defeats that recognized and even forgave the fact he wanted to go on alone in his studies… back then he hid a lot of his thoughts from Stanley, and while he could never quite predict Stan Stanley showed he could read him like a book.

Ford had somehow thought his brother would have an easy time after he confronted him about the project, that Stan would just get on with his life getting an oddly erratic stability, wealth or someone to give any of those to him.

‘Never thought that Stan would have so many troubles that right now I have to admit could sum more than all my inconveniences with weirdness EXCEPT the one in my hands right now as THERE IS quite a difference of scale!’

In the end all that mattered from the encounter is that someone that truly cared for him came back after a silence of 10 years just to get insulted and…

Branded...

Then proceeded to convince him of his possible innocence but would leave due to knowing Ford would always have inevitable doubts that would make all interaction worse. A lost cause.

After that goodbye Ford tried calling out to Stanley but got ignored even after saying he should at least get the burn treated… even though his legs felt like lead he ran after him saying he needed medical care, only for Stan to ignore him and resolutely enter the elevator and vanish from sight.

Now he was still standing in front of the closed elevator door feeling regretful as well as disgusted and annoyed… at himself. Even now part of his mind still doubts, wanting to keep believing Stan was lying. All new conjectures making him mad at himself because they’d die immediately after forming… but did not stop…

Stan wanted something from him? ‘He didn’t even accept treatment for the burn…’

He wanted revenge? ‘He could have simply burned the journal after the punch…’

He wanted to hurt his feelings? ‘The worst he called him of was jerk and the rest was true…’

‘He wanted to be forgiven at a later date to avoid a future fall out? ‘Stan knows where he lives so a surpise meeting won't work and if he just showed up with an emergency needing help or something similar, it’d be a scam unworthy of him…’

He wanted to cause guilt? ‘Even if he did it’s not like I don’t deserve it… ‘

Stan was right, it was a lost cause. A lost cause due to his own fault: being able to throw his brother out without hesitation and even knowing he wanted to put all blame on him for something that in the end did not influence his future… the best Stan could get is an exile of his own terms…

 

“The one good thing I seem to have done is not having the gall to make you take this afterwards…”

He looks at the journal and compared to before it didn’t bring him any wonder, pride or joy…

His eyes start watering he presses the book against himself with both hands impulsively making himself resemble fetal position as he decides to just take the thing to the bunker if he doesn’t have any ideas tomorrow.

For now he’ll just not care and sleep…

 

 

Stan, as much as he wanted to get out of town he could not because didn’t have the gas to get anywhere not within 5 miles and STAY THERE so he’d save it(maybe for heating) and because he found a bar and felt he needed to drown his sorrows somehow, after opening the floodgates after getting to his car… any good news? He’s wearing another shirt due to the burn making a hole in the coat and the previous shirt and used some spare whiskey he has no idea where he stole from on the thing to avoid infection before putting the shirt on…

Right now he had his face was pressed on the bar counter at least hoping it’s decently clean but too depressed to really care. He is not drinking right now because he didn’t have a dollar to his name…

only a peso…

that he gave to the barkeep just to enjoy the heating for a while…

and unless he can find someone in this… absurdly TAME biker bar that’d lend him at least a couch or something just for his company(not being adverse to any connotations implied). But for that to work he needed a target or he’d keep being in the bar and try to get the barkeep to be the one he'd ask for some charity through one of many sad stories in his repertoire that may or may not be true.

He decided to check the left side of the bar but after not seeing much potential on the people on tables or standing around he had decided to face the counter again then check the right after.

“Howdy there! Are you feeling unwell? Haven’t seen you round before.”

He was surprised by a voice waking him from his lethargic and depressive thinking and turned around to face a man that looked like he didn’t fit in this place. Not that he himself fit exactly but this guy seems to take regular baths and whatnot… and is obviously also not from here from the way he talks. Also the man seems to look slightly surprised talking again.

“Name’s Fiddleford McGucket. I can buy us both something if you want to talk some? You look like you've seen quite some sights...”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really enjoy this AU because it can give good ol' Fiddleford a more antagonistic part as I feel that he could be a good at that while leading the "Society of the blind eye".


End file.
